Five (over)reactions from Astros’ spring training opener

ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s about time there’s some baseball played around here. The Astros couldn’t quite avoid seeing only red jerseys, but at least they were a slightly different shade, and Houston’s brick red squad beat Washington’s red red squad 3-1. (Link to game story)

A few premature thoughts with none of them including the numbers 162 and oh:

1. The Jose Altuve patience experience is totally trippy.

The little guy was almost stubbornly patient in his first exposure to another team’s pitching after going through the offseason and early part of camp knowing that he’d have to be. Altuve drew just five walks in two-plus months as an everyday big league second baseman.

In his first at-bat, he watched three pitches go by and singled on the fourth. In his second, he saw the ugly side of patient, watching strike 3.

It was somewhat encouraging if not a bit exaggerated. He’ll find that medium.

2. The Class AAA bullpen will have some good arms.

This will be an effect of the roster race going on at the big league level.

Sure you can just throw out a seven-man bullpen. Watch. I’ll do one right now.

That’s great, but where’s your long man? If Wright is going to be your situational lefty, then who goes even three innings if you need it? If Zach Duke or Lucas Harrell or someone like that comes in, that takes a spot from one of those guys?

And what happens when Sergio Escalona comes back from his injury? He was arguably the top lefty last season, and Brad Mills has always made it his preference to have a pair of lefties to deploy.

So you take out Cruz? Why lose the No. 1 overall pick in the Rule 5 draft in a year that’s about building for the future?

No matter who gets booted from that list, or if that is the list, you’re going to be taking a pretty good arm out of that bullpen. You’re not risking losing Mariano Rivera, but it’s going to be a capable big league arm dispatched to Oklahoma City.

3. That Stephen Strasburg’s jersey was the most popular at an Astros home game that Stephen Strasburg didn’t pitch is a problem.

Well, it’s more like a side-effect of the real problem.

Someone was wearing a Sammy Gervacio No. 63 Astros shirt today. That’s a great pull from the drawer.

4. Watching the Astros deal to Bryce Harper was a lot of fun.

First at-bat: Savvy vet Livan Hernandez starts him off with a super-slow curveball that Harper told Washington reporters afterward he was looking for. Still made him look foolish. Strike 1 swinging. Then after two balls, he gets more of the trademark slow stuff and does what you’re supposed to, waiting on it and still pulling it into right field for a single.

Second at-bat: Savvy vet Brett Myers blows two by him. The Astros, by the way, expect Myers’ velocity to be back up in velocity as a reliever, which is generally the case. On the third pitch, with Harper down 0-2, Myers slows it down and gets him to roll one over weakly to the right side for an out.

5. It’s all about Harper.

As my counterpart at MLB.com, Brian McTaggart, pointed out, this is going to be what it’s like covering the Astros some day with a No. 1 pick coming in, though there is no Harper-like wonder yet to emerge from the Class of 2012.

Everything coming out of Nationals circles was about the 19-year-old phenom, perhaps ready to grab a spot on the big league roster less than two years removed from going 1-1 in the draft. Every at-bat is closely monitored, and the stories can read something like “Harper goes 1-for-3 in Nationals loss.”

He’ll be the storyline, and some day soon when the Astros have a 1-1 of their own for the first time since Phil Nevin, that guy will too.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Feb. 28
Astros second baseman Matt Downs takes swings in the cage during batting practice on Tuesday in Kissimmee, Fla.

Feb. 28
Astros second baseman Matt Downs takes swings in the cage during batting practice on Tuesday in Kissimmee, Fla.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Starting pitcher Bud Norris warms up his arm with the hose on the fence.

Starting pitcher Bud Norris warms up his arm with the hose on the fence.

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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Brett Myers warms up on the day that manager Brad Mills announced that Myers will be the team's closer.

Brett Myers warms up on the day that manager Brad Mills announced that Myers will be the team's closer.